These Web Browser extensions are collecting people personal data and selling it on to third party companies.
The extensions effected by this vulnerability are available for both Google Chrome and Firefox as well as Chromium-based Web Browsers such as Opera and Yandex.
If these extensions are installed onto your Web browser then they will be able to access your data, no matter which Operating System your using.
Effected Firefox extensions:
- SaveFrom.net Helper
- FairShare Unlock
- SuperZoom
Effected Chrome extensions:
- FairShare Unlock
- SuperZoom
- Hover Zoom
- SpeakIt!
- PanelMeasurement
- Branded Surveys
- Panel Community Surveys
So what types of data are these extensions collecting?
If any of the
above extensions are installed onto your browser then they can collect personal
information such as Usernames, Passwords, Credit card information,
Gender, Personal interests, GPS location, Tax returns, Travel itineraries and
Genetic profiles.
If you install the extensions on a computer at your workplace, they can also collect information about your company such as company memos, firewall access codes, API keys and much more.
Conclusion:
Hopefully you now have a better understanding of the extensions you need to remove from your web browser or avoid downloading all together in order to protect your personal data.
It’s hard to believe just how much data these small extensions such as SpeakIt, are capable of stealing! FairShare Unlock alone is installed on more than one million browsers worldwide, so there are plenty of people who are at risk from this security vulnerability.
It’s also worthwhile checking whether your browser is syncing your extensions. If the sync feature is enabled in Google Chrome, your extensions may be mirrored between all the devices you use which could potentially lead to an infection spreading from your home computer to your work computer.
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